Israeli army recovers bodies of two hostages from Gaza
· RTE.ieIsrael's military has recovered the bodies of two hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.
Judy Weinstein-Hagi, 70, and 72-year-old Gadi Hagi were taken from kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
"Judy and Gad were murdered on October 7 and abducted to the Gaza Strip," Mr Netanyahu said.
The Israeli army said in a statement that the bodies of the husband and wife were recovered in a special operation from the Khan Younis area in Gaza.
"The rescue operation was conducted by... troops in coordination with the intelligence directorate and special forces," it added.
The spokesperson for the kibbutz in southern Israel where the couple lived said in a statement that "after more than 600 days of pain and waiting, the bodies of Gad Hagi and Judy Weinstein Hagi were brought back home to the State of Israel and to Nir Oz last night in a military operation".
Gad, a music lover and talented cook, and Judy, a former English teacher, have four children and seven grandchildren, according to the kibbutz.
"We welcome the closure of the circle and their return for a proper burial at home, in Israel," the family was quoted as saying in the statement from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
"We want to thank the (military) and security forces involved in the complex rescue operation and for fighting for us for over a year-and-a-half, and to everyone who supported, fought, prayed and struggled for us and for the entire people of Israel," they added.
Israel has recently stepped up its offensive in Gaza in what it says is a bid to defeat Hamas, whose October 2023 attack sparked the war.
The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, at least 4,335 people have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March, taking the war's overall toll to 54,607, mostly civilians.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's attack, 55 remain in captivity, including 32 the Israeli military says are dead.